Topical preparation



afiord less protection.

'ployed. v; I also prefer to incorporate Patented July 25, 1944 r'rorrcsr. PREPARATION Walter Andrew Inman, waukegan; Ill.

l lo Drawing.

Application January 1942, Serial No. 426,859

3 Claims. (o1. 16'i---90) This invention relates to a topical preparation for useparticularly as a hand lotion but capable of many other uses. r 1

When applied to the skin and allowed to dry,

I the composition of my invention forms a pro- I tectiv film over the skin that may be likened to an invisible glove. Not only does this protective film reduce the tendency of the skin to chap, but it seems to have a therapeutic effect uponskin that is already chapped, Furthermore, the presence of this protective filmlessens the degree of adherence of grime, greases, oils and even paints and the like, so that the skin can be washed -free of said substances very easily by the simple use of soap and water. Thehand lotion of my invention is therefore particularly'suited for use- 7 by mechanics, painters, and others whose hands frequently come in contact with grease, oils, or--,

ganic solvents, paints, lacquers, and the like.

It istherefore an important object ofthis in-.

vention to provide a'topical preparation which like citric acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, or the like. Alternatively, a weak acid like acetic acid may be employed.- The exact function of the.

acid is not entirely understood, but has been found to increase the effectiveness of my composition when used for the Purposes above set forth.

The following will serve to illustrate a preferred composition embodying the principles of my inv'ention, the proportions of the various ingredients may be applied to the skin and which, when dried thereon, provides a protective filmfor the skin that facilitates the removal of foreignmaterial therefrom, such as grime, grease, oil, paint, lacquer, organic solvents, and-the like.-

Other and further important objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims. As the film forming base of my composition, I employ preferably a good grade of gelatine, or animal glue. A gelatine or glue derived from pin skin has been found most suitable for my purposes. p A softening agent, or plasticizer, is used in conjunction with the gelatine, or glue, for the purpose of increasing the flexibility of the film left on the Per cent Gelatine 1.2 Glycerine 1.8 Ammonium alum 05 Potassium aliim 0.5

I Citric acid 0.4 Water 95.6

skin or other surface after evaporation of the greater part of the water contentof' the composition. In the absence of any glycerine, or other plasticizer, the film so formed would be more liable to crack and flake off and therefore would In place of glycerine, other plasticizers may be used, such as other polyhydric alcohols like water soluble glycols.

Alum is another ingredient of my composition. The function of the alum is probably that of rendering the gelatine, 'or glue, somewhat less soluble after it has been dried into film form. Preferably, a mixture of alums is used, such as a mixture of ammonium and potassium alum. However, other water. soluble alums may be ema harmless acid in my composition, such as one of the fruit acids,

being expressed in parts by weight? 1 Parts Gelatiner Giycerine Ammonium alum (aluminum ammonium sulfate, crystalline) 4'5 Potash alum (aluminum potassium sulfonate, crystalline); -L 45 Citric acid- (crystalline); 30 Water 8,000

Expressed percentagewise, the foregoing composition would be as follows:

These percentages may be varied considerably, but I prefer to keep the gelatine within the limits of between 0.5 and 2.5% by'weight and the glycerine between the limits of 0.75 and 4% by weight. The other ingredients of the solution may be varied accordingly. The glycerine is preferably present in an amount by weight exceeding that of the gelatine, or glue.

In making up a composition such as the above,

th ammonium alum, potassium'alum and citric acid are first dissolved in the amount of water to be used, and then the gelatine, in powdered form, and glycerine, are added, after which the whole is heated to a temperature short of the boiling point of the mixture, preferably around F., until a homogeneous, clear solution is obtained. The solution is then allowed to cool invisible and does not change the appearance or feel of the skin in any noticeable respect. How-v ever, the presence of this film greatly facilitates the subsequent removal with merely soap and water of any foreign dirt, grime, stain or the like.

The use of my composition is not limited to the human skin but extends to the hair and, by analogy, to animal skins, hides, furs and hair, or bristles. The application of my composition to paint brushes, for instance, makes the removal of the paint, lacquer or the like, a comparatively simple matter, soap and water being all that is necessary to clean the bristles.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of the process may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A protective preparation for application to animal skin and skin appendages comprising, as originally compounded ingredients, from 0.5% to 2.5% gelatin together with from 0.75% to 4% of a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of glycerine and glycols, such percentages being by weight of such preparation, lesser amounts of an alum and a harmless acid, the residue comprising essentially water, said preparation having been prepared by heating said ingredients 2.5% gelatin together with glycerine as a plasticizer in an amount greater than said gelatin and ranging from 0.75% to 4%, said percentages being by weight of said preparation, lesser amounts of an alum and a harmless acid, the

residue comprising essentially water, said preparatiorhaving been prepared by heating said ingredients to form a homogeneous clear solution capable or drying by evaporation to form a nontacky film resistant to penetration by grease and oil that can be removed by washing with soap and water whereby said preparation can be applied to skin and skin appendages prior to exposure of grease and oil for facilitating removal from said skin and skin appendages of oil and grease subsequent to exposure to grease and oil.

3. A protective preparation for application to animal skin and skin appendages comprising, as

originally compounded ingredients, the materials cangbe applied to said skin and skin appendages prior to exposure to grease and oil for facilitating removal from said'skin and skin appendages of oil and grease subsequent to exposure to grease and oil.

- WALTER ANDREW INMAN. 

